The Longmen Caves, inscribed on the World Cultural Heritage List in December 2000, is a Buddhist cave temple complex developed during the 5th-11th centuries C.E. (Current Era)., located south of Luoyang, Henan province. These caves were carved into the hills on either side of the Yihe River. Based on the data provided by the Longmen Caves Research Institute, there are over 2,300 niches and caves, more than 100,000 carved sculptures, and more than 2,700 inscriptions on carved niches and caves. Our Center conducts a joint research project with the Longmen Caves Research Institute for the conservation of this precious Buddhist monument. Since autumn of 2000, we have been accepting a young researcher from Longmen every year for training in conservation science. From autumn 2001 we have been consultants on the UNESCO/Japan Trust Fund for the Conservation and Restoration of the Longmen Caves. We installed monitoring devices to measure and analyze the environment, study the causes of deterioration, and recommend treatment methods for the caves. Over the next 5 years beginning in 2002, we will also take photographs in several major caves in Longmen in order to document the current status of the caves. This work will provide a foundation for the Longmen Grottoes Academy developing its own system of protecting the caves.

Longmen Caves, China
There are more than 100,000 statues in more than 300 rock caves, carved during the period of 5 to 11th century.

Longmen Caves, China
Investigation on rock of Longmen Caves

Fengxian-si Vairocana(17m high)
It is the good representative of Buddha image in early Tang dynasty (7th century)

Mr. Li Xinjian, conducting the investigation at Yagura, Kamakura, KanagawaPrefecture